This invention relates to apparatus for guiding stock past a reference point according to a pattern, and particularly advancing stock to a working tool, such as a stitching needle or other tool, while sensing the pattern on the stock incrementally and pivoting the stock in incremental fashion while the stock is also incrementally advanced.
Apparatus has been proposed in the past to feed stock such as sheet material past a working tool such as a stitching needle at a reference point, while controlling the orientation of the stock to follow a pattern such as an edge contour. A typical application of this principle would be the stitching of shoe leather as along a vamp, at a certain distance from the edge thereof. In fact, several different types of apparatuses have been proposed for doing this. As far as is known, none of these has really constituted a practical alternative to the age-old manual control technique, however, except possibly for recent proposals utilizing computer technology. The products resulting from the manual technique of course are only as good as the individual skill or lack of skill, of each operator. Further, the potential output is limited. And, while recent computer type proposals have potential for those organizations that can justify a highly sophisticated and very expensive installation, such proposals really are not practical or feasible for many operations or facilities, as is typical at smaller companies, e.g. pattern stitching of shoe materials or the like by smaller shoe manufacturers.
In the manufacture of leather or simulated leather goods such as shoes and gloves, installation of highly complex equipment is not really possible except in the giant corporations of the industry. Of course, the smaller businesses are the ones most in need of automation equipment to effectively compete. For this to occur, however, it is necessary for the equipment to be highly effective but relatively simple and inexpensive. Hence, it would be highly desirable to be able to convert conventional stitching or sewing machines from manual guidance to automated pattern guidance, at a small cost and ease of conversion.